Rancho California17"W x 18"HWall tapestry; cotton warp; wool weft"Rancho California" is an imaginary place that embodies the cultural landscape of southern California. In my years here, I have watched the hills one by one sprout houses that look like a sea of red tile roofs. The nomenclature of place names reveals the pseudo-Hispanic architecture: Rancho this and Rancho that. There actually is a Rancho California, but this is not it.